Star Struck Style

I was just looking at the upcoming planetary oppositions that will occur this August, and I’m pretty sure that I’m going to have a grouchy month. I’ve got both the sun and Mercury opposing my natal Mars/Venus conjunction. Mercury actually crosses over the same spot twice because of its retrograde cycle. I’ve also got both Venus and Jupiter forming oppositions with my natal sun. Yikes!

Going back through my previous blog posts makes me believe that I’m pretty good at avoiding the worst of what most of these oppositions have to offer. August is an easy month for me to go off by myself in order to avoid the tension that I experience when these planets line up in this manner. However, the Jupiter aspect is something else altogether. The interpretations of the alignment vary depending upon the source. “Cafe Astrology,” for instance, offers this advice:

“You might fall victim to wasting opportunities, time, or resources when transiting Jupiter opposes your natal Sun.

Generally, this transit is a ‘feel-good’ transit. You are likely to be feeling quite powerful and optimistic. The problem with the transit is that you might over-reach due to these inflated feelings of importance. This need not be the case at all. In fact, you may receive a much-needed boost to your ego at this time.”

“Astrodienst” provides a much more-detailed analysis:

“This can be and usually is a very positive time. But you can make more or less out of it, depending upon how you handle it. In most ways it represents a period of culmination in your life, and you will be tempted to expand beyond any reasonable limit. There is no question that you have a good chance for success in any one of a number of endeavors at this time and, within reason, you should pursue them. However, you should not restrict yourself solely to material and physical growth now. Even if you don’t have all the material goods that you want, you should turn your attention to spiritual and inner needs. Ultimately, nothing satisfies like satisfaction. Objects that you acquire, possessions, money, and even social prestige are merely devices to make you feel that you have satisfaction. They are not the state of satisfaction itself. It is your inner difficulties that make your life less than it could be, even if you have corresponding problems in the material world. You must look for the solutions within yourself, and this time represents a turning point, where you should begin to look for the answers.

Under this influence, the tendency is to go after everything that you want in the material world without caring especially about whoever is in your way, to gather as much stuff as you can and indulge yourself in what you want. Then, as the influence subsides, you may feel that this effort has failed, leaving your life as empty as it was before.

Do not be arrogant toward others or assume that you have everything right. Through meaningful encounters with others, especially intimate one-to-one encounters, you can find out which way you should go at this time. Work with another person and think in terms of mutual growth. By trying to achieve goals set by both of you and by trying to be a twosome, you each will become more conscious of what you are as an individual. If you can recognize the real meaning of this influence in terms of your own life, this can be an extremely productive and growth-oriented time, a period that will always have meaning for you.”

I suppose that I need to remember that Jupiter is not personalized in my chart and that I don’t tend to experience Jupiter transits in a profound, obvious fashion. Nevertheless, I want to get the best out of this uncommon alignment, and I believe that means acknowledging that “nothing satisfies like satisfaction.” In so many ways right now, I’m satisfied with myself. That in itself provides me with room to grow — a sentiment that can be related to both the sun and Jupiter. Impediments to my personal growth often come in the form of a person who doesn’t actually limit me by their actions, but by their effect on my own conduct. I often allow the opinions of others to dictate how I feel about myself when those things have nothing to do with me. Simply removing myself from situations that impact my self-worth and my self-image keeps me from becoming dissatisfied with my own conduct. That brings to mind this classic bit of advice from RuPaul: “Unless they’re paying your bills, pay them bitches no mind.”

And so I am going to resolve to “pay them bitches no mind.” This August will provide me with a pivotal month to make the most of the personal breakthroughs that I have made since the beginning of the year. If I need to go off alone to contemplate my growth without the distractions that others in my orbit may contribute, that’s just fine with me.